


'Straight' is a Flexible Concept

by TheWeatherOfOurYouth



Category: Bastille (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Band, Idiots in Love, M/M, One Shot, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:54:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27386770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWeatherOfOurYouth/pseuds/TheWeatherOfOurYouth
Summary: Dan walks into a gay bar accidentally...
Relationships: Kyle Simmons/Dan Smith
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	'Straight' is a Flexible Concept

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is my first fic here. English isn't my first language, so I hope it doesn't contain too much mistakes. Have fun!  
> Comments are always appreciated. :)

The damp air hits him right in the face when he opens the slightly squeaky door. The club doesn’t seems to attract the ordinary public, but he can handle some diversity. In fact, he loves the variation of people in London. He’s just some boring white, straight male, nothing interesting at all. No, other people are inspiring him. He should be fascinated by the world around him, as his job literally consists of keeping an eye out for intriguing new talent in the music industry. Mark always says he has a good feel for picking up on proper music and maybe he’s right, their record label is definitely working out. They have some promising artists signed, who they support in their starting career by giving them a space to create, someone to listen and not so unimportant, producing their music. He smiles at the thought, accompanying others in the whole process of creating music is the best job he could ever dream of. He has written some stuff himself in the past, but he doesn’t enjoy the performing part. And that’s an understatement, he really hates the attention drawn to him on stage. So this is the perfect solution, he plays a significant role in the production process and at the end of it, the spotlight is on someone else. Someone who deserves the fame and enjoys it, a win-win situation in his opinion. Yes, sometimes it stings, not being able to generate your ‘own’ sound. You can give all the advice in the world about a piece of music, in the end it’s the decision of the artist and there’s nothing you can do about it. But you get used to it, being pushed in the advisory role. However, what doesn’t grow on him are the big responsibilities involved. At certain moments, like now, he questions Mark’s choice to give him this important part of the job. He gets lost in his own head regularly and when that’s the case he wouldn’t hear a trumpeting elephant walking past, not to mention a musician hidden in a corner of some pub.  
It’s happening again, there is a guy standing next to him. He seemed to appear out of nowhere, but it’s more likely he was just deep in thoughts, daydreaming the time away.

“Hi, are you coming inside? Or are you going to stay in that doorway for the rest of the evening?” 

The lad who turned up is even taller than him, who praises himself quite lucky with his length. How could he not have seen him coming? He wears an eye-catching shirt full of cats in bright colours, buttoned to the top except the last one. His face is also remarkable, facial hair completely dominating half of it. The other half is characterized by big sparkly brown eyes, pupils blown.

“I get it, the first time is horrifying.” The guy leans closer to him and whispers, “Don’t worry, I don’t welcome all of the newbies this friendly.”

He feels the stranger’s hot breath tickling his earcup.

“Kyle! Are you drooling over our new guest?” a man sitting at the bar cries to the two persons in the doorway.

“Fuck off Joe, I’m just being nice,” the lad, who goes by the name Kyle apparently, replies and gives his friend the finger.  
He sticks his hand out, accompanied by the words, “So, I’m Kyle. Nice to meet you.”

“Dan,” he says while shaking the hand.

Kyle winks and leans closer again, “Tell me, do you see anyone you’re interested in?”

“I’m not sure what you m-”

“C’mon, you can trust me. Who do you fancy?”

Dan looks around the room full of strangers, mostly men. This seems a pretty inappropriate question to ask to someone who just walked in.

“I’m not sure… There aren’t many girls around here.”

Kyle seems to find it a funny response and grins, “Girls? Mate, you’re in a gay bar. You can express your sexuality here. I mean, it’s fine to be attracted to two genders. I’m bisexual myself, but I lean more towards the male-side you know?” the lad rambles on. “But fine if you don’t want to answer, can I get you a drink then?”

Dan’s eyes go wide, he walked into a gay bar? That doesn’t seem his smartest move, especially not on his own.

“I’m sorry, I think I made a mistake. I’m not supposed to be in this kind of establishment,” he stutters, oh so eloquently.

Kyle leans closer again- has he even heard of the concept personal space?- and whispers conspiratorially, “I’ve listened to many excuses in my history here. Just come inside and have some fun, it’s not that bad.”

Dan shrugs, maybe he’s right. How bad can it be?

“Fine, I’ll have some beer please.”

“One pint for Dan.”

Kyle balances gracefully around the furniture with two filled glasses. Meanwhile, Dan has a free table in the corner of the bar picked out for them. He starts looking for his wallet, but Kyle catches his wrist in the movement and shakes his head.

“No way I’m letting you pay. This round is on me, see it as a welcome-present.”

Dan blushes throughout the unexpected contact and quickly takes his drink to cover it.

“Thank you, cheers mate,” he says as the glasses collide.

He has to admit, Kyle is a pleasure in conversations. The man looks at you with those deep-brown eyes as if you’re the only person in the world worth listening to. He also shows exactly the right emotions during the stories. Dan is in the middle of telling the story regarding his first ever gig. He reached the part where he had to run off stage to visit the toilet, an experience which he would never forget, and Kyle gasps at the exact right timing before giggling along with the narrator. 

“No way Dan, I’m so sorry that happened,” the guy snorts. “That’s the reason you only produce?”

It’s astonishing how quickly Kyle picks up on the clues he gives him. They chatted about their jobs, he learned that Kyle works in a record shop and Dan told him about the label he co-owns. Now he just shared his first introduction to live music and somehow Kyle pieces the chunks of information together in the right way.

“Yeah, I remained terrified of performing. So I focussed on other people’s music instead and it pleases me.”

Kyle snickers: “Sounds familiar, I produce for some friends in my spare time. I’m way too shit to make my own stuff.”

“I bet you’re not.”

Dan spends the next half hour questioning his table companion about the process of making electronic music, of course he does. And bickering over Kyle’s own creating skills, naturally.

After some drinks, Dan ends up paying for one round and Kyle for two, he is being dragged to the dancefloor. The place is fairly crowded, they have to look for a spot with some room to actually move. The speakers are blasting out some music which naturally lures you into moving. It’s really a shame he doesn’t recognise it. Kyle throws his arms in the air and starts dancing along, his lean body moving remarkably seamlessly. He gives Dan a little push with his hips, trying to get him involved. Dan thinks for a second and accepts the request anyway, pushing the cons aside. That’s probably the alcohol rushing through his veins speaking, but who cares? Going out is about having fun, and dancing with Kyle seems to be fun, no matter how bad his own dancing is. So he joins the swinging man with a big grin on his face.

“Are you alright?” Kyle pants during the break they’ve decided to take.

Dan feels droplets of sweat crossing his temple, his shirt sticks to his torso and he’s out of breath, but he feels great. He nods and tries to slow down the movement of his chest, the breathing noises must be ridiculous at this point. However, he doesn’t get the chance to get some air. Before he realises it, his mouth is covered by warm lips. At first, he’s too shocked to do anything. Then, he pushes the guy gently off. Kyle looks at him like he has seen a ghost, eyes widened and mouth still open.

“Don’t,” Dan simply says in a low voice, his face turning brighter every second.

Kyle visibly swallows, “I’m-I’m sorry. I thought- never mind.”

“No, it’s my fault. I’m so sorry.”

How stupid could he be? What was he thinking, staying in a gay club? Obviously, the guy who spent the entire evening with him would try to hit on him, that’s kind of the purpose. Kyle had visibly deflated, his tall frame seeming a lot smaller at the moment.

“Do you want me to go away?” he mumbles, trying to avoid Dan’s glance.

He fails though, Dan can see the hurt blinking in his eyes.

“No, please stay,” he hears himself say, in an awful attempt to fix things that can’t really be fixed.

So Kyle stays and they find themselves in a forced conversation, some small talk mainly. But he’s there and Dan is grateful for it.

As the night progresses further, Kyle seems to have forgotten the awkward encounter due to the haze of alcohol and he goes back to his normal cheerful self. So far as Dan could judge his personality, only knowing the guy for a couple of hours. At the moment, he’s making some animated movements. He is showing Dan how to throw a basketball perfectly through a loop, without the ball and the loop. The blue-eyed guy tries his hardest to copy the moves, but gives up on it as Kyle stops him for the fifth time with a disapproving glance.

“Is there any sport you’re good at?” the taller man cries out defeated.

“If you count movie marathons as a sport yes, otherwise not really,” he smiles.

“No way you’re not into sports. How do you keep your body in such a nice shape?”

Kyle’s eyes cross over his chest with a flicker of hunger in it. Dan takes a step back, feeling pretty uncomfortable under the approving gaze. Luckily, he’s saved by the bartender who announces closing time. They follow the mass into the fresh air. Once outside, the two man stand in front of each other uneasily. Dan wonders how he should say goodbye to his new-made friend. Should he just say ‘good night’ or something like that and take off? That’s it, it was nice meeting you, see you never again?

“Uh, should we exchange phone numbers or something?” Kyle suggests hesitantly, carefully thinking about each word before speaking.

Dan nods, a little overeagerly, and hands the guy his phone, “Sounds good, put it in.”

When both boys shared contact details with each other, it’s time to leave the curb in front of the club. Kyle raises his arms and leans closer to give the man in front of him a hug, but changes his mind at the very last second. His arms drop again and he shuffles backwards. Without thinking twice, Dan draws the guy closer and finishes the hug for him. When they release each other, Dan walks away without looking back, hiding the little blush on his face.

*

09:44 – Dan  
Hi, did you get home alright yesterday evening? Are you working today? I want to come by if that’s okay for you.  
Dan

09:56 – Kyle  
Yes-yes, great! You know the address right?

09:57 – Dan  
I do, see you!

*

Dan keeps looking at the screen with the message history of his newest contact fruitlessly, the guy doesn’t respond anymore. Of course not, their conversation is completed. He should get back to work, or should he say start with it? The whole Kyle-situation is distracting him more than he would like. It started at night, he dreamt about the kiss they shared. However, they took things further in his dream-reality. He woke up in the middle of the night with a raging hard-on and he was so embarrassed by it that he didn’t sleep anymore. In the morning, he loaded himself with coffee because he could barely hold his eyes open. Since he arrived at the studio, he has been worrying about his new friend. He hadn’t sent a message yet, so Dan did it himself. Now he knows he’s safe and he’s meeting him later, but Kyle still controls his mind and he doesn’t know why. He can’t say that the kiss was extremely unpleasant or something, but he also didn’t enjoy the unexpected moment. Dan sighs and tries to focus on the list of tasks that Mark prepared for him, but his thoughts keep wandering. His fingers naturally run over the keypad, typing ‘Kyle Simmons’ into a search engine. The first hit is the man’s Twitter page, he recognises the familiar face on the profile picture. He smirks at the caption ‘I’m a dick, and certainly not to be trusted’. The next thing that pops up is a webpage were some of his produced stuff is listed and Dan finds himself listening in awe to the tracks. The majority, or just about all of them really, are electric tunes. Some with, other without vocals. He signs again, he isn’t getting anything done in this way. He can visit Kyle now just as easily, maybe he is able to concentrate later that way.

*

He finds Kyle behind the counter of the slightly messy looking record shop, located in one of the alleys of South-London. His face beams as he looks up by the sound of the bell and sees who enters the property. 

“Dan! I didn’t think you would show up.”

“Surely I came, I said I would. Who do you think I am? A liar?” he smirks.

Kyle turns a little red at that comment, “No, of course not. But I thought you were kidding or something.” He smiles. “Anyway, glad you’re here though. I was bored to death a minute ago.”

He abandons his chair behind the desk and starts a passionate exposition of the shop. Apparently, he has an overview of the chaos, because he directs them directly towards the collection he wants to show Dan, who eyes the wide range of album covers curiously. Looking for something he’s familiar with, some knowledge to impress the record seller. He feels like he has to prove something, after their talk yesterday. But he shouldn’t have worried, he can’t fit a single word in between Kyle’s explanation anyway. He takes a breath to start the next story, while his fingers pick out the corresponding vinyl. It isn’t the first time Dan catches a glimpse of the strong personality Kyle owns, but he wonders where the ‘good-at-listening’ side of the man went. It’s like the thought has reached over to Kyle. He interrupts the impression of his dad in the middle of the night trying to throw the record player out of the window and looks into Dan’s eyes directly.

“I’m sorry, I tend to get a bit carried away between my favourite articles in this shop. What do you want to see?”

He stresses the word ‘you’ and points in various directions while listing the genres available.

Dan laughs, “A bit? Besides, how can a customer ever find something here? Everything is mixed up, they aren’t even organised alphabetically.”

“They stand in order of importance,” Kyle answers with an impression of a pretentious tone. “Woody, the boss, lets me control the sorting.”

“Oh, right. Why is the country-section hidden in a corner then?”

“No, don’t tell me you’re a Dolly Parton sucker! I thought you had a decent taste, definitely not that pretentious, simple-minded shit,” Kyle exclaims, already inhaling for the explanation why country should be a forbidden genre.

Dan interrupts him mid-sentence with a playful voice, “I don’t get why you aren’t bankrupt. You call your customers’ taste pretentious and simple-minded, I don’t how those two words can interact with each other by the way. And you’re the only one who can find something in this mess!”

Kyle smiles, Dan swears he even sees some admiration in his eyes, “Because the only customers I have are like you, they stand up for their music and don’t listen to whatever I say. That one person a day loves me though.”

He bends towards Dan’s left ear and whispers, “I’ll tell you a secret, an important advice for long-term job security. Ensure you’re indispensable, they need me in here for finding anything. But I bet you’re essential on your own, without tricks, you seem to be that kind of guy.”

Kyle’s face shows a kind of sadness, Dan can’t quite define the specific emotion. He stares into space for a couple of seconds with glassy eyes.

As if nothing happened, he produces his irresistible smile, “So, off to the back of the store then!”

However, that plan is cancelled by the ringing of a bell, which indicates the opening of the door. A pretty muscular bloke enters with a casual certainty that only comes from countless visits before. The man looks like he just got off his motorcycle, due to the leather vest that serves as jacket and the boots. Dan doesn’t see a helmet though, but it could have been left outside.

“William!” Kyle cries out. And somewhat quieter to Dan, he says, “Will loves me, you’ll see.”

The motor-boy pulls a face that suggest the opposite and Dan needs to cover up a chuckle with a fitting cough.

“Don’t team up on me, that’s not fair,” Kyle pouts.

“You deserve it though,” Will says. “Hi Ky, hi stranger.”

His voice sounds way softer than you would guess by his looks. Dan wonders whether he is secretly a teddy bear, deep down.

Kyle drags him along to the guest and introduces the two to each other, “Will, this is Dan. Dan, this is Will. A regular customer, you’ll like him. His taste is just as wide as yours.”

They share a firm handshake, Dan is slightly terrified by the thoughts of a crushed hand, but it isn’t that bad.

“So Kyle, am I meeting your new boyfriend?” Will asks with a smirk.

“How do you know-, do you tell,” Dan stutters first to Will and turns then to Kyle, while tugging at his shirt with one hand and stroking through his hair with the other.

Will quotes Kyle perfectly, “I’m bisexual myself, but I lean more towards the male-side you know?” He bursts out with laughter, “He tells everyone, it’s kind of scary to be honest.”

Dan feels his face burn and starts scratching the back of his neck obsessively by the mention of the sensitive topic.

“I only met him yesterday,” Kyle blurts out, also blushing.

“Tell me Dan, how long did it take him to express his sexuality?” Will asks with genuine interest, still smiling.

“Will, drop it,” Kyle hisses and glances quickly over to Dan with a worried look.

He feels like a fish out of water, only able to open and close his mouth in surprise.

“Uh,” he stutters, not knowing how to form a coherent sentence anymore.

He thought he was over this childish moments of unease. Fuck, he really thought he was finally witty enough to stand up against the ‘funny’ remarks of strangers or vague acquaintances, instead of being left behind with nothing to say. He hated it, the way people satisfy themselves by making someone, a less extravagant person mostly, uncomfortable with their jokes. And now he finds out he still hates it with passion.

“Leave him alone you pervert, ask me instead if you want to know something about my love life,” Kyle steps in after short silence.

Yes, of course he needs someone to protect him from the cruel world. Some things just never seem to change. It already went like that in high school, Ralph or Sophie defended him when he was at a loss for words. It will probably always be like that, the past knows how to catch up with you. 

“So Will, what can I do for you today? Wait, don’t say anything, I know you’re here to sign up for the Rihanna pre-order.”

Will nods with a big grin, “I sure as hell am.”

While they deal with the formalities, Dan acts like he’s really interested in the vinyl in front of him until he hears the bell again. Shortly after, he feels a pair of arms lightly wrapping around his torso and it pulls him back to the real world.

“Interested in ‘Snap!’ Danny?”

“I would rather find my beloved, slightly pretentious, Dolly Parton LP’s.”

See, he can still do it, he made a joke to replace a possible awkward situation. Just because you fail once, you’re not doomed. Jeez Dan, pull it together.  
Kyle smiles his genuine grin and pulls him along to the back section.

*

Dan agrees on accompanying Kyle to the coffee shop around the corner once his working hours are over. He tells him that he has the habit to have a drink after every workday, a smoothie when it’s hot and a hot cocoa when it’s cold. Dan settles on a cup of coffee, probably not the best idea in the evening but he’ll likely lay awake anyway. 

“Do you want to talk about what happened earlier?” Kyle asks as they wait for their order to be completed. “I mean, you got very quiet when Will came in.”

Dan kicks the table leg instead, trying to buy time. And yes, saved by the bell. The barista calls their names out and he gets up to go and receive the cups.

“Thanks… Charlie,” he commends the smiling, rather short guy behind the counter, while reading his nameplate.

“Don’t worry, Kyle or Dan,” Charlie answers with a high-pitched giggle at the end.

Dan takes his cup first with the accompanying words, “This is mine.”

“Oh, you’re the black coffee-drinker. Refreshing to see, you don’t want to know how many orders contain milk or sugar in their coffee. I take it ‘black as midnight on a moonless night’ as I like to say.”

“That’s a way to put it, I like it.”

Dan sees Kyle pouting in the distance, so he hurries back to their table with the drinks after a quick ‘bye’ to the barista.

“Man, that took fucking forever. Thinking about dumping me for that sexy coffee shop bloke?” Kyle exaggerates with a whine.

Dan tenses when hearing those words and Kyle picks up on it.

“I’m sorry, edgy subject,” he grins soothingly.

“No, it’s okay. Figure I have to tell you now,” Dan responds, choosing his words carefully.

He doesn’t like the thought of picking over the past at all, but is it really the past if it occurred again a couple hours ago? So he starts hesitantly, telling how he was a really shy kid in high school. Massively overweight too. How it wasn’t really bullying, more some sort of a sly mocking. It spills all out in one big gulp of bottled up emotions. The lack of wittiness, the reaction of friends. How he became horrified during well-intended jokes.

After his rant, Dan stares at the table top, worried about the other’s reaction. Kyle has a sort of energy hovering around him that makes you want to pour your heart out. And an unprotected heart, lying on the floor is so damn easy to trample on. 

“Thank you for telling me this,” Kyle murmurs. “I’m not going to pretend like I can fully imagine it, but I care. I really do.”

A beat of silence, followed by a whisper, “You think I was- I am crazy, don’t you?”

The air is forced out of his lungs as Kyle slings his body around his, holding him closer than anyone before.

“Nah, I don’t,” he whispers in return. “Don’t ever think that anymore, will you?”

The whole coffee tent looks in their direction at that point, startled by the noises of Kyle’s fallen chair at first, now intrigued by the sight of two men squashed against each other on the other chair.

Kyle also notices the staring people and decides to make the situation worse by climbing on the table and giving a little speech, “He’s not crazy. If there is one madman at this table, it’s me! You hear that Dan? Argument closed, end of the story.”

Dan’s mouth falls open in the process. If one of his other friends had pulled this stunt he would be so mad of embarrassment, but he finds himself chuckling instead. His eyes meet Charlie’s and although the barista looks slightly terrified of the thought that he may need to call an ambulance when the unstable table crashes down, he grins along with him.  
It turns out that Kyle doesn’t need to be transferred to the hospital, he jumps down gracefully. He lurks with so much enthusiasm at the smoothie straw that you would’ve thought nothing happened.

*

Dan takes a quick peek at the furniture as he enters the apartment that Kyle shares with two other guys. His roommates are out of town today, so he invited Dan over to enjoy some company. The living room looks like a typical boy’s room, with wandering clothes draped all over furniture and abandoned beer cans lying down on the floor. Kyle blushes as he follows his glance and apologises for the mess. Dan just shrugs, he’d seen worse. Then his eyes fall on an aged-looking keyboard in the corner of the room. He approaches the instrument so cautiously as you would do with a critically endangered species, as if it could spot you and go up in smoke when it does.

“No way, I had this model as my first keyboard!” he says with some hints of nostalgia in his voice.

“Oh really? That’s just the shared old keyboard, my real equipment is stocked in my room. Maybe you can play a piece of your music there?” Kyle begs.

Apparently, Dan’s brain likes to fuck up on critical moments, because he can’t stop the words from rolling out of his mouth, “Yeah okay, but I’m sure this keyboard will do the job. I can play Foe/Through The Trees?”

Why did he just say that, why?

Kyle frowns: “Am I supposed to choose one or…?”

“Nah, it’s one song. With sort of two titles, it doesn’t make sense at all.”

“Oh, let’s hear it then!”

He takes a seat in front of the instrument when his fingertips hesitantly slide across the black and white keys to find the patterns they’re looking for. He rehearsed this song the day before, therefore it crossed his mind. And here he is, playing one of his most private belongings to a guy he met the day before. A guy who he’s strangely comfortable with considering the short period of time they’ve known each other, nonetheless technically still a stranger. But it’s too late to back off now, so Dan closes his eyes and goes for it.

After the keyboard goes silent, the only noise in the room is the heavy breathing generated by the singer. He stares at his fingers, still lightly resting on the keys of the final chord. Still in trance of the music, he suddenly feels an unfamiliar weight on his shoulders. Or no, an all too familiar weight that he has become to crave.

Kyle laid his both hand on top of him and breaths out one word, “Dan…”

He flinches under the suddenly too heavy pressure and says with a shaky voice, “You can say that it’s awful, don’t worry about it.”

Has he left his heart on the floor since the coffee shop?

Kyle repeats his name and Dan turns around to look to the man. He expected a look of horror on it, but instead he looks right into a pair of watery eyes. He doesn’t know what is worse. 

“I’m sorry, I’m such a cry baby,” Kyle sniffles as he wipes away a tear. “That was hauntingly beautiful, as I call it.”

“I’m sure it’s crap-”

He gets stopped, “Not at all Dan.”

Kyle practically begs him to play another ‘masterpiece’, as he calls it. God, those brown eyes which blink as innocently as a kid’s pair.

With some difficulty, he shakes his head, “I’m sorry, I didn’t really prepare this. Maybe next time?”

Kyle’s facial expression gets some sadness over it and he clears his throat: “Yeah, maybe… I- I have something to discuss with you.”

He crashes in the couch and points to the spot next to him, where Dan takes a seat.

“What are we actually, I mean in relationship towards each other?” Kyle chokes the words out, like they’ve bothered him for a long time.

Dan smiles shyly, “We’re friends, I guess.”

Kyle nods for him to continue and speaks up when he stays silent, “Do you think we could be something more, after some time?”

Dan is confused by that question, he thought he made himself clear by pushing Kyle off.

“I don’t think so,” he stammers while avoiding the gaze of the other man.

Kyle forces a sad smile, “Is it intrusive when I ask why? Am I not your type?”

“Kyle! I am straight.”

The last sentence sounds more like a hysterical question, his voice raised at the end to his annoyance. Not that Kyle notices anything, he’s too busy burying his ashen-turned face in his hands.

“You- you told the truth when you entered that gay club. I can’t believe this, why did I fall for that one straight guy while I was surrounded by perfectly good options?”

Dan’s eyes widen at the sight of the scene in front of him and he thinks about taking his earlier words back. But that’s ridiculous, right?

“Now I’m crying again, great,” Kyle laughs humourlessly. “I don’t think I can do this Dan. I want to touch you so badly every time I come near you. I can’t pretend to be just friends when I wish it to become more. I think you should go for now… I’m sorry, that sounds pretty selfish.”

Dan nods slowly and gets to his feet, directed to the door by Kyle.

“Goodbye I guess,” he says right before he faces a closed door.

How did this exactly happen? One moment, he moved the guy to tears by playing a song, and the other moment, he stands outside. Ripped out of someone’s life, again.

The door opens again after a minute and Kyle’s head peeps around the corner, “Thank god, you’re still here.”

Dan is about to express how glad he is that Kyle changed his mind about the whole ‘we-can’t-be-friends-thing’ as he gets surprised by the feeling of lips against his own for the second time.

“Please reconsider it,” Kyle pleas as he pops back inside after they separated.

Is it just him or is this becoming really cruel?

*

Dan finds his furious looking boss in the office the next day, the steam almost coming out of his ears.

“Where the hell were you yesterday? We had this recording planned, the afternoon you took off without warning anyone,” Mark roars.

He stares at his feet, he totally forgot the appointment marked in his agenda. Who’s was it actually? He doesn’t remember Mark saying a name when he announced the date.

“It still happened right? Or did you have to postpone it?” he asks softly.

Mark leaves his spot behind Dan’s desk and approaches him, forcing Dan to look up so he could lock eyes with him.

His facial expression softens when he sees Dan’s defenceless look and so does his voice throughout the sentences, “We did what we could, but it was a little complicated without any help. I didn’t know if you would turn up today, so I said to them that they could return next Monday for the remaining work. Is everything alright Dan? You look a bit sick.”

That’s Dan’s cue to tell Mark the whole story, the reason why he didn’t sleep a wink last night.

“Kyle is a keeper,” is all the commentary Dan gets from Mark on his quarter-long narrative.

He sighs, Mark clearly didn’t listen: “I just said he shut the door in my face after I played him one of my songs. Do you know how humiliating that is? Besides, he made me perfectly clear that he didn’t want me as a friend.”

Mark wiggles his eyebrows in response, “I didn’t say as a friend.”

“As what else? Including he kissed me two times without my permission, do you think I could press charges for sexual harassment?” Dan rambles on.

“Cut the crap, it doesn’t match the adoring look on your face,” Mark comments dryly. “For God’s sake, don’t think reasonable for one time. I know it’s difficult for you, accepting that you’ll have to give up some control of your life. Love isn’t straightforward, it makes odd twists and turns. Yes, Kyle did some questionable things, but you obviously care about him. Otherwise you wouldn’t look so messed up. So go sort it out now, I don’t want your ass at work before you talked to him. Am I clear?”

Dan nods defeated. He has to admit, Kyle captured a place in his hart. His body knew all along, the dream predicted it, his mind still struggled with this whole falling-in-love-situation. Previously, he was that guy with the heart on the sleeve, but after some failures he retreated in his shell. Yes, he still fell in love too quickly for his own liking, however he kept it for himself the past years, which implied no more drunken confessions. None of the terminated relationships worked out mainly because of his low self-esteem, his insecurities became uncrossable barriers after some time. Even the greatest athlete hadn’t had enough stamina to fight them in the end. He can’t blame them, looking back on it. So, is he in the right mindset now? He can’t answer that question without trying again, but knowing himself likely not. And in this case, the issue is even more complicated. He never liked a guy before, he thought his sexuality was one of the few things he was sure about in a world of constant change. That picture comes crumbling down now, or will crumble down if he goes through with this. Perhaps it’s a good thing though, he doesn’t have any bad history with men. Besides, he doesn’t believe in labels anyway. The pigeonholing these days, it’s meaningless and it only drives already-struggling people crazy. So maybe this is his chance to start with a clean slate?

Mark studies him curiously as the war in his head continues.

“Are you visiting him or are you just going to stand there?”

“Okay, I’ll go. But I need to do something first,” Dan comes to a decision.

*

09:12 – Unknown number  
Kyle told me that I’ve crossed a boundary yesterday, I’m sorry. I’m normally not a frightening guy. See you soon?  
-Will

09:32 – Dan  
Thanks mate, it’s fine really. Don’t worry about me.  
Dan

*

Still a little shaken up from the conversation by SMS with Will earlier, especially the last question, Dan finds himself before the entrance to Kyle’s apartment. He takes another deep breath and rings the doorbell. 

“Dan? Wait, I’m coming,” croaks out of the speaker next to it.

A minute later, Kyle appears in the doorway.

“Hi,” is all Dan manages to say with the scene playing out in front of him.

Kyle’s hair is wild and he stands bare-footed on the tiles in the hallway, the only indication he just woke up. Otherwise you wouldn’t notice, he still looks impeccable in the hastily put on clothes.

His voice is a bit hoarse, but the big grin makes more than up for it, “I’m so happy you came! I’m really sorry, I was a dickhead yesterday. I shouldn’t have kicked you out and especially not with that explanation. I’ll respect your choice of course, but I would like to continue as friends instead of ignoring each other. I’ll get over my feelings eventually, no big deal.”

Dan isn’t listening anymore as Kyle rambles on, he only hears his own thoughts resonating through the hammering of his heart.  
I have forgiven you already, shut up and let me talk. Damn, he looks hot with those sleepy eyes. Are his toenails painted silver? That’s fucking wicked.

So he leans closer and seals their lips together.

“Okay, have it your way then,” Kyle gasps before attracting Dan’s lips again and pulling him inside at the same time.

They end up on Kyle’s couch, sides pressed together, for the talking part. Dan feels like he’s going to burn by the heat radiating from the other body, but it makes his brain so wonderfully fuzzy that he doesn’t even consider to move away.

“So, this means you’re not so straight anymore?” Kyle grins.

“The term straight is a flexible concept,” Dan giggles back. Yes, he giggles. Who is this man and what has he done to his pure-bred cynic self?

“I don’t think that’s an accurate interpretation, but I’m willing to believe everything that comes out of your mouth right now,” Kyle chuckles and places a soft peck on Dan’s nose.

He, on the other hand, stiffens, “Wait, you’re not that type of guy who thinks in terms of ‘trophies’ about getting it on with straight men, right?”

“Of course not babe, that’s disgusting.”

“You promise?”

“Cross my heart and hope to die.”

A couple hours later, Dan is going home to fresh up for their date later that day with butterflies whirling around in his stomach. He isn’t sure if he’ll be capable of eating anything, but he goes with Kyle to the restaurant so it doesn’t matter anyway. Suddenly, he freezes on the pavement. Shit, he forgot to play the stupid song he prepared before visiting Kyle. He spend half an hour rehearsing in the studio, before Mark started banging on the door and threw him out. He shrugs, whatever, he’ll have another chance to show Kyle ‘The Ride’. Hopefully, he’ll get infinite chances to hang out with him.


End file.
